Channel 3 Maintains Stranglehold On No. 1 Spot

November Ratings Show Wfsb Is Still The Market Leader

WFSB, Channel 3, was No. 1 in the Hartford-New Haven market in the November sweeps, according to ratings released this week by Nielsen Media Research.

Channel 3 was tops in news, prime time and overall throughout the sweeps, one of three key rating periods each year that local stations use to determine advertising rates.

In the nightly news race, WFSB triumphed convincingly across the board, but WTNH, Channel 8, showed more gains.

Both stations improved their status from last November at 5 p.m. Channel 3's half-hour news program finished with a 12 rating with a 24 share, up from an 11 rating and 24 share in 1990, when Gayle King anchored the show. And Channel 8 had an 8 rating and 17 share, up from 7 and 16, respectively. (A rating point equals 1 percent of the 928,190 homes with televisions in the market; a share point equals 1 percent of the viewing audience.)

WVIT, Channel 30, also gained at 5 p.m. with reruns of "Married ... With Children." It averaged a 7 rating and 15 share, improving by 1 rating point and 2 shares from its 1990 performance, when it showed reruns of "The Golden Girls."

At 5:30, Channel 3 was flat with a 13 rating and a 24 share. Channel 8 was up; it averaged a 9 rating and an 18 share for its newscast, up 1 rating and 2 share points. Channel 3 showed no improvement at 6 p.m. either, compared with last November, generating a 16 rating and 28 share, while Channel 8 was up 1 rating and 1 share point to finish with a 12 rating and 21 share. Channel 30 was flat with a 7 rating and 12 share.

The only real source of concern in news for Channel 3 was its noon weekday newscasts, which dropped off two rating points and 11 share points to a 6 rating and 25 share. But it was still enough to fend off Channel 8's improved 6 rating and 22 share.

WTIC, Channel 61, showed continued ratings growth with its 10 p.m. newscast. The half-hour weeknight news show had a 5 rating and an 8 share, compared with a 3 rating and 5 share in November 1990.

In prime time, Channel 3, a CBS affiliate, improved its standing with a 14 rating and 21 share. ABC affiliate Channel 8 dropped off to an 11 rating and 17 share, down from a 12 rating and 19 share in November '90, tying NBC affiliate Channel 30, which was flat compared with last year.

Channel 61, a Fox affiliate, was up 2 rating points to a 7 rating and 10 share. Independent WTXX, Channel 20, improved slightly in prime time with a 3 rating and 5 share, as did Connecticut Public Television (WEDH, Channel 24 in the Hartford area) with a 2 rating and 3 share. WTWS, Channel 26, was flat with a 1 rating and 1 share.

Locally, the highest rated series was CBS' "60 Minutes," with a 29 rating and 42 share, and "Murphy Brown," with a 24 rating and 33 share. Finally, in the sign-on to sign-off category, which measures ratings over the course of the broadcast week, Channel 3 slipped one share point but still came out on top.